High Island Week 4 Day 1

I started the day concerned that the recent sudden evacuation of birds on Wednesday would continue through the weekend.  I got to Boy Scout Woods and saw a male Scarlet and Female Summer Tanagers.  I helped a couple who were trying to identify the birds and explained to them that they would see better specimens.  These were not much to photograph, so I didn't bother.  Walking around, there were very few birds in the woods.  I saw more starlings and House Sparrows that morning than I had in the previous 3 weeks.   I stood there at one point, listening for birds and all I heard were crickets... Not a good sign.  I went on the 8:00 tour and did see my first Purple Gallinule and Dickcissles.  There were almost no other birds on the tour so I left early and went to Smith Oaks.

As I was driving up the driveway to Smith Oaks was a Cattle Egret.  I hadn't seen many since last fall.

The first thing that I noticed at Smith Oaks was the birds calling.  One bird in particular was very vocal.  I was informed that it was a Prothonatory Warbler who was camped out next to the Rookery.  I spent over 30  minutes looking for this bird but was unseccessful.  There is more to this story but that will come later.  Since I was there, I took a few pictures of the birds at the Rookery with my new lens.  I got the Egrets, Spoonbills and Neotropic Cormourants nesting on the Rookery.  Also, the Blacknecked Stilts were there ,

.  I came across a 'gator when I was walking down a path and heard the rustling of the leaves.  I looked down expecting to find a Thrush and instead found a small gator trying to cross the path to get to another water source.  Makes you think twice about spending all of your time looking up to the top of the trees without watching where you're going!

The Trash bird of the week was the Grey Catbird.  There were thousands of them in the woods.

The Eastern Kingbirds and Rosebreasted Grosbeaks were everywhere!  Both Scarlett and Summer Tanagers were also abundant (a Western had been seen, but not by me).  I also came across a flock of Yellow Warblers that were too fast to photograph.  That would be great ordinarily, but this was High Island and I expected more!  I haven't been spoiled or anything have I? 

Later in the morning I started noting a number of Green Herons in the trees nowhere near the water.  That was just before the warblers started coming in at around noon.  They started coming in as individuals. There were no flocks that could be followed across the woods the waay we did last week.  For the most part, all I had to do was stay in the entrance of Smith Oaks and the warblers pretty much came to me.  There were Blackpolled, Bay Breasted, Chestnut Sided, Blackthroated Greens, Magnolias, Hooded, Black and White, Blue Winged, Prairie, Blackburnian Warblers, as well as Northern Parulas and Common Yellowthroats.

 The Vireos were there in numbers too.  Red-eyed, White-eyed, Yellow throat and Warbling Vireos were seen.  I heard about Philadelphia Vireos being seen but I was not that lucky.

Acadian Flycatchers, Eastern Wood Peewees, and Yellow-billed Cuckoos were also there.

Back to the Prothonotary Warbler story.  I was in another part of Boyscout Woods when I heard another Prothonotary warbler calling.  It was in the back of the woods,and a fairly good distance from the paths.  I decided to go off road and try to get closer.  I am ducking through the brush and come upon a tree that had been blown down and decided to climb up onto the trunk and see if I could see him.  I didn't see him after standing there for about 15 minutes.  I walked out to the path and heard him calling again so I decided to climb up onto another tree that had fallen across the path.  I climbed up on it and somehow had lost my balance and fell off the tree onto my back.  I was wearing my backpack that was holding my old zoom lens, and that may have softened the blow.  I broke the hood of my lens, but the lens still works.  I was lucky that there was not a branch pointing up where I landed.  And I was also lucky that the new lens was not in my pack.  I still didn't see the Prothonotary though.

10:19 PM - May 1, 2009 - post comment

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Well, the gray catbirds might have been dross, but they certainly are gorgeous!

Dale
<a>http://alpinebirds.blogspot.com</a>

Dale - 9:01 AM - May 4, 2009

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You spoiled? Nah, not you! Almost every bird you have listed here, I have not seen. :(

Great shots of a great journey.

I still don't know how to do anything on this blog site...

Rob from over at Birder's World
http://robandtheanimals.blogspot.com/

Anonymous - 7:33 AM - May 5, 2009

Great pics.....

Dave,
Once again, we all thank you for all the great pics you've posted! Can't wait for next spring to come along again at High Island!!!

Doug in Clear Lake City - 5:59 AM - May 10, 2009